Timetale
by Firekitty88
Summary: There is no villain in the tale of the underground. The true master of the death is the one who taps the keys and the power of time. (Sans x Frisk, Chara x Flowey/Asriel, Undyne x Alphys, Toriel x Asgore) pls no hate.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Blue shoes clacked quietly against the tiles of the judgement hall. A small girl of about thirteen stalked through the corridor, her red eyes flashing. Upon her blue and pink striped sweater was dust. In her hand was a rusty dagger. A heart necklace swung around her neck. The girl wore a stoic, emotionless expression on her face, and her eyes were dull, as if all light had been sucked away.

A skeleton materialized in front of her, and she stopped. Waiting. He spoke, but she could only hear the blood pounding in her ears.

He looked wistfully out the windows along the hall and sighed. He glanced at her, his eye flashing blue.

"Ready?"

 _Listen and hear a song the birds are singing_

 _Sit down a while, and watch the flowers blooming._

 _A pleasant breeze blows by, leaving a trail of dust…_

 _How could you have done this?_

With his blue magic, he flung her small form against the ceiling. She did not cry out, though there was a large cracking sound from her body. She dropped to the ground, dodging a flurry of bones that she somehow avoided. Her body snapped back and forth away from the bones, careening herself from harm. A large bone-like creature emerged from Sans's magic. It opened its mouth, and light flooded from it. More like this appeared, and Frisk escaped them with ease. Dodging his attacks should of amazed Sans, but he only scoffed. Obviously, Frisk had seen them many times before.

 _Standing in the corridor_

 _How thought we'd be like this together?_

 _On a gorgeous day like this, I ask_

" _What is it that you want?"_

Why was this girl doing this? What was she to gain from hurting his brother and countless others: The woman behind the door who used to reply to his jokes. Undyne, his brother's best friend. Metaton, the famous robot who burst apart in front of his heartbroken fans.

But on her face...emoticon there was none. Fear there was none. She was almost just a hollow being with no empathy for anything or anyone.

Almost, but not quite.

 _I believe there was a time._

 _When we could be pals and things were better._

 _Eating bad food_

 _Enjoying laughs_

 _Can we go back to that?_

A faint memory of a small child with just a stick at hand came to the skeleton's mind. Her smiled was sweet and genuine, and her heart was determined and kind. The no longer existent past of a loving girl who saved monsterkind held onto him...he didn't want to kill her. He didn't want to kill anyone. But the child gave him no choice as she lunged and him with her rusty dagger.

In Frisk's mind, a small girl huddled up in the darkness. Her red eyes glanced from side to side. A small deranged smile played on her lips. In her eyes, however, tears started to form. "Keep going Frisk," her smirk grew larger. "KILL THEM ALL."

Bones flew at Frisk, and she tried to stay still. But thanks to Chara, her body refused to stay put. She dashed out of the way, one of them scraping against her cheek. She did not cry out, and did not even have a reaction at all.

All the screaming and crying took place in her mind. Chara cried as Determination took over her. Both of them were so far away from control.

But if neither of them had it, then who did…?

Who was the one who reset the timeline? Who was the one who willed for peace? Who was the one who willed for death?

Through the turmoil, Chara scrunched her eyebrows in thought. How particular...how this sounded so familiar. Wasn't it Flowey who had stated something that Determination could relate to…?

"I've read every book and I've burnt every book. I've won every game and I've lost every game.

"I've appeased everyone….

 **I' e."**

It was not Chara nor Frisk who had caused the genocide, oh no. It was more than what meets the eye.

The two children were not the ones who left their mother to die in the empty ruins alone, begging for help. They were not who left Sans with a dusty red scarf in the middle of the snow.

But Sans did not know this. In fact, no one did

There was no one left to know...

 _If you're in there listening, kid._

 _Please just reset the timeline._

 _Please let's forget about this._

Sans ground his teeth together as the girl died again and again at his feet, only to come back and show how helpless they both were to their fate.

One of these resets, Sans would die, and all of his attempts would be in vain.

...at least he would get to see his brother soon…

The last Frisk had seen of his brother was when she crushed his head against the ground with her foot. As he groaned in pain and faded away, she only stumbled on.

"Human...I believe in you...even if you don't…"

"He was…" Chara was on the verge of tears for a split second, but then her entire persona changed. "He was forgettable." Her strained voice strengthened into wicked laughter, overpowering Frisk's cries.

*DETERMINATION

 _Even after what you did he believed it you._

 _Till the end._

"Dirty brother killer." he slammed the girl's body into one of the pillars, and her skull cracked. She stared straight at him as she died. A lone tear traced her tear.

Sans swallowed hard and inspected her face. He chuckled quietly.

"Welp, that's new."

 _Looking at your face right now_

 _Something tells me_

 _I can't afford to care anymore_

 _Turn this path around, wipe your dirty hands clean_

 _Give up!_

Again, Frisk came back. Her eyes were still red yet so dull. Gaster blasters surrounded her, and she raised her head to face death.

Chara hissed inside of her. "Too slow." she noted. Black liquid started to fall from her eyes. Red strands attached themselves from their shared red soul to Chara' s body. It was wasn't their fault, but Determination...

She died again.

And again.

An n.

 _The time has come_

 _Nowhere to run.._

 _Please!_

Her body fell at his feet. Blood trickled out of her eyes. She looked at him with wide eyes. Sans smirked down at her, though his heart was breaking.

"What? You waiting for a joke or something?"

Chara struggled against her soul's restraints, but DETERMINATION kept strong, trying to corrupt them even more. Chara weakened, black tears spilling down her face. She half laughed and half cried.

"Don't give up...Chara…" her adoptive father's voice echoed in her mind.

"You are the future of monsterkind…"

Frisk reached out to grab the hem of the skeleton's jacket. His eye flared, and sweat dribbled down his forehead. But he stood still, exhausted.

"S-Sans…"

 _Listen and hear a song the birds are singing_

 _Sit down a while, and watch the flowers blooming._

 _A pleasant breeze blows by, leaving a trail of dust…_

 _How could you have done this?_

Frisk fiddled with her knife but dropped it beside her. Her hand twitched as her body tried to pick it up.

No. No. No…

Chara fought against the corruption and against the darkness inside herself.

Sans kept silent and waited for death to swallow him up and take him away…

"H-help me…" Frisk whimpered. "I...can't…" Her body shuddered violently, and Sans jerked away from her.

"Frisk…?"

 _Is there still a glimmer of hope?_

 _Will you choose to do the right thing…?_

 _Please, now, bud..._

 _If you're there..._

 _Have a change of heart._

...She grabbed her knife and flung herself at Sans before he could react. He was so tired that he let her pin him to the ground. He gazed at her, his pinpricks lost in the darkness of his eye sockets. "Welp," he chuckled darkly.

Her body lifted the knife over her head. Sans closed his eyes, defeated.

Chara had given up once again.

No…

NO…?!

NO!

"Chara!" Frisk screeched at her. "Please!" She mentally fell to her knees and pulled on Chara's bonds. "You can't let him die! Please, not another…not again..."

But Chara was lost in her own world…

...into a time long ago...

" _Hey, Chara!"_ A young goat-like child wrapped buttercups in her hair. He laughed, delighted. The two rushed into their home, before the mirror.

"Wow Chara!" Asriel giggled. "It looks so pretty on you!"

Chara squinted through her hair. "It does…?" She inched closer to the mirror.

Asriel laughed once more. "Hahaha! You should cut your hair so you can see how nice you look!"

The children heard humming from the kitchen and they spun around. "You should ask momma to help you!" He grabbed her hand and rushed to Toriel.

The kind lady looked at them, amused. "Why, Chara, how pretty you look today!" she smiled genuinely.

"Um…" Chara shifted uneasy, and Asriel gave her an encouraging nod. "Mrs. Toriel...is it...can you cut my hair…?

"Why of course child."

Asriel grinned.

After the lady was done, Asriel ushered the girl back to the mirror. "See, Chara?!" Asriel pointed at her enthusiastically. See how pretty you look?!"

She inched forward and gazed at her reflection. At a moment's pause, she smiled sadly.

…

"It's me... _Chara_."

Her eyes snapped open to hear Frisk's pleas and broke free.

 _I'm Chara..._

The strands around Chara snapped, and Frisk regained control. The knife slacked in Frisk's hand. She hesitated before stabbing herself in the stomach. She let out a little whine as she twisted the blade, tears dripping down her cheeks. She stumbled off of Sans, whose eyes snapped open in shock. "What-?"

Frisk lost her balance and fell to the floor. Blood was pooling onto the tiles of the judgement hall. Sans was staring down at her, teeth unhinged. Her eyes returned to its brown normal color and managed to give a weak giggle. "Oh Sans…" her smile went rubbery. "I really messed up this time, didn't I?" She closed her eyes from the pain, whimpering softly. "Gosh...I really am...a stupid doodoo butt…" She laughed halfheartedly as her power began to fade.

The skeleton inched forward, a look of disbelief on his face. "Frisk…?" he whispered. He reached out a hand to brush the hair out of her eyes. But by that time they were already far away, soft pink lips curled into a painful smile.

"F-Frisk?!"

 _Listen and hear a song the birds are singing_

 _Sit down a while, and watch the flowers blooming._

 _What a nice day..._


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

After aborting the genocide route, Chara and Frisk went through the Pacifist route as fast as they could. Almost everything went as it had gone the first time they spared everyone…

Well, almost everything. Flowey was waiting for the child when they first reset. His fake smile stretched upon his face as he spotted her. He giggled somewhat angrily.

"Why? WHY, Chara?" He shook his head, and Frisk lowered her head to see him act this way.

"We were on our way to a real victory...to make up for last time!" He laughed as his eyes turned pitch black. "Why'd you have to SCREW IT UP?" His last words were a growl. "Hahaha…" He stared at the ground for a while before muttering quietly, "Is this REVENGE?

"Making me watch you so pure and happy, while I...?"

Frisk didn't say anything. What was there for her to say? The flower looked so betrayed, and his petals drooped. Chara was Asriel's best friend, and even if he had no soul he still cared about her. This broke Frisk's heart.

Flowey was silent before he perked up, smiling again. "No. NO!" He gave a delighted laugh. "I KNOW what you're doing. You just want to see what it's all like. Before we TEAR IT AWAY from them!AHAHA!"

Both Chara and Frisk stiffened in alarm.

"Ahahaha...Genius, Chara." the buttercup chuckled, his eyes sparkling devilishly. "Well, I'll let you mess around. I know you'll come back eventually. And when that time comes…"

His evil smirk faded from his face as he gazed at Frisk.

"Chara...I'll be waiting for you."

And with that, he disappeared into the earth.

But that was a long while ago… After Frisk and Chara broke the barrier, it came time for a new start. With their Determination under control, it was no longer possible for the world to reset and go back into a time of genocide. Everyone would be safe and sound.

...But not everyone was happy.

After the humans had offered the monsters a large abandoned village to live in, the first thing Sans did was confront Frisk about the past timeline.

She had been helping her mother with the packing when Sans had teleported behind her, making her yelp in surprise. His eye sockets were dark. "Hey kid," he murmured. "S'okay if i talk to you for a sec?" Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her arm and dragged her into another room.

Frisk's heart thumped in her chest, and Chara was muttering reassuring words to her. "You know this would happen," she reasoned. "Just tell him the truth."

But Sans only stared at her for a long time. Frisk squirmed under his gaze. "Um...Should I be saying something…?" she asked timidly.

"Yes." Sans growled. "Yes, i think you should be."

Frisk sighed, her short hair brushing against her face. "I suppose I should be telling you about the last...time."

Sans rolled his pinpricks, and her heart sank. He was not in a good mood at all. "Sans, I…" her fear and guilt brought tears to her eyes. She could not look at him, her eyes fixated to the ground. "God Sans. I…"

Chara shifted in her mind. "You going to apologize? I don't think that'll work." Sad, strange emotions swirled inside of her. Chara desperately tried to get Frisk to respond with the fact that it wasn't her fault.

Frisk ignored her, squeezing her brown eyes shut. "I...hate myself so much!" the last part burst out of her before she could stop herself. "I'm so sorry!" She cried hysterically, panting through her tears.

After a moment, Sans stepped toward her, handing her a tissue. She looked up at him, amazed. His expression was softer, but still rather cold. "That still doesn't tell me what happened." he muttered. When she didn't take the tissue, he cleaned her himself, as if she were a small child. This made her cry harder. "Geez, kid. When you went around killing everyone, you didn't have any emotions at all..you were so different."

Frisk shuddered. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Why are you sorry?" Chara hissed, irritated. "It's not your fault."

"I...wasn't in control." Frisk whispered, to the other child's relief. She stiffened, however, when she told Sans, "Inside my mind..there's this girl…named Chara."

Sans stiffened but didn't say anything.

"She always helps me." the girl explained. "But...after I got a happy ending...there was something wrong with her. She told me that it would be the only way to bring her to life...and so I started to…" she took another shuddering breath, and Sans twitched. "But when I tried to stop… I couldn't." She paused, remembering the feeling of not being able to move by herself. "I couldn't move…"

Chara was very quiet, and Frisk could almost feel how guilty she felt.

"So then you were forced into genocide." Sans muttered. Frisk nodded, shaking. She looked away and started to cry again.

"Aw, kid." he put her arms around her in a comforting hug. The girl cried into his chest. He muttered comforting things to her until her tears dried. They held each other for a while until she heard Toriel calling her. She moved away from him, conforted, a small smile on her lips.

Sans gave her the happiest look in a long while. "See ya, kid," and then he vanished.

There was silence.

…

"So."

"So I guess I am the bad guy, huh?" Chara's voice wasn't threatening, but rather sad. Frisk did not reply.

"Frisk, I had no idea you thought of me that way."

Frisk was quiet.

"Frisk, I'm sorry."

"It's not you fault."

"Then who's is it?" Chara asked.

Frisk did not respond once more.

"My point exactly."

A year past, and things were going well for the monsters. Alphys was working on a new body for Napstablook, much to Metaton's delight. Undyne had become a police officer. Toriel became a school teacher, and a quite popular one at that. Sans, Papyrus, and Asgore were unemployed, but still had a lot to do. Papyrus was still on his way to becoming a chef, and Undyne gave him lessons everyday after work. Asgore was working with the garden he had made in the backyard. Sans was…

…

No one knew what Sans was doing.

But besides that, there was something missing.

Frisk was turning fourteen in a month. She was eating pie in the kitchen as she was reading about human anatomy. It was very interesting, but move a bit off topic as she wondered what kinds of puns she could make with this chapter...

"Frisk." Chara muttered. "I hate this so much."

"Huh?" Frisk turned her attention away from her book. "What did you say?"

"I didn't use to mind sharing." Chara muttered. "But this is ridiculous. I want a body."

Frisk couldn't help but agree. There was a lack of privacy when it came to Chara. Both of them knew what each other were thinking...which sometimes made them uncomfortable. They would have disagreements constantly, Frisk wanting to chill with Sans or Papyrus, while Chara wanted to play fight with Undyne. Or maybe the times where Chara would always tell Frisk to eat chocolate, though she prefered pie.

So maybe...just maybe…

"Let's ask Alphys." Chara said.

Frisk returned her attention to her book. "Hmm. Okay. I'll wait till-"

"No no no no!" Chara begged, she waved her arms up and down in Frisk's mind. She was very bored, as anyone could tell. "Now! I swear!"

"Fine." Frisk muttered. And so, abandoning her book, made her way into Alphys's lab.

Before she entered, she knew what Alphys was doing. She heard voices through the door.

"Uh...um...how's that Napstablook?" the scientist stammered nervously. It was funny that most everything Alphys did was amazing, though she was always worried on the miniscule things she might have done wrong. Thanks to Frisk, her confidence has better, but still needed to match her amazing abilities.

"Ohhhhhhh." a soft quiet voice responded. "It's very nice. I like it. What do you think, Meta-"

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH~~~~!" a loud, overly dramatic voice rang out. "It looks marvelous, Blooky~~~!"

Frisk giggled to herself as she rapped on the door quietly.

"OOOOOOOH~! I wonder who that could be…" Footsteps were heard before Metaton swung the door open with his legs. He gasped and posed in wonder.

"Make him stop." Chara muttered.

"No way." Frisk laughed.

"Frisk, darling~~~~~~~!" She was swept into a breath-taking hug. "Alphys, dear, Frisky's here!" He winked at her as he put her down and strutted back into the room. Frisk followed, and gasped.

"Hi, Frisk…" It was Napstablook's new body. It was like Metaton's body, but with shades of blue and white instead of hot pink and black. He held himself close together, and smiled shyly. It was very cute.

"Wow, Napstablook!" Frisk exclaimed. "You look amazing!"

"Thanks," the robot blushed. "And it's Napstabot now."

Metaton squealed excitedly. Together, they both danced out of the room, Metaton doing a flawless waltz while Napstabot stumbled adorably after him.

"Thank god." Chara sighed. "Now we can get to business."

"Be nice." Frisk scolded.

Chara sighed again. "Sorry, Frisk." The poor child sounded unhappy.

Alphys watched the robots happily before turning to Frisk. "Hey!" she exclaimed happily. "How have you been doing?"

Frisk smiled. "Good. Have you seen the latest episodes of 'Kissie Mew Mew' yet?"

Alphys rolled her eyes. "OMG. Yes. I watched it with Undyne last night, and it was awful! The new characters they introduced were terrible and so clique!" And Kami got together with that jerk, UGH!"

Frisk smiled as she ranted on and on about the new episodes. Chara listened, actually distracted from their initial task at the moment. "We should watch them sometime…" But eventually she realized why they were there. "Come on, Frisk! Hurry up!"

As Alphys paused to take a breath, Frisk interjected softly, "Please don't spoil it! I haven't watched it yet…"

The scientist put her hands to her mouth and apologised. "S-sorry…" she grinned sheepishly. After a moment's pause, she pushed her glasses to her face. "Hm...so, why are you here?"

The girl sighed and looked to the ground. "I was wondering…" she mumbled softy. "Are you busy?

Alphys looked bemused, but shook her head.

"...can you keep a secret?" Frisk whispered.

Alphys nodded slowly.

"...um…" Frisk shifted nervously. "Then...can you do me a favor?"

Alphys nodded her head vigorously, sweating slightly from all the tension. "Of course, Frisk. Anything!"

The brunette took a deep breath, and with Chara prompting her, explained and told the scientist her request.

After she finished, Alphys looked intrigued. "So this spirit is living inside you?" Her voice came in sharp gasps. "And you've never told anyone?"

"Well…" Frisk glanced at the door. "Sans knows."

"Hm…" Alphys nodded to herself. "I think I have an idea." Muttering, she scrambled to her desk, which was covered in books and pages. She took out a notepad and jotted down a few notes. "It'll be easy to separate her from you…" she tilted her head side to side in thought. "Huh...the body will be a bit difficult. We'll have to, uh…" Sweat dribbled down the side of her head. "Dig..up..the body…"

Frisk gave a nervous laugh. Chara however, was practically dancing. "Oh yes!" she cried joyously. "When do we start?"

Frisk repeated Chara's question for the scientist, fearing the answer.

"As soon as possible. Maybe right now."

The ghostly child whooped with joy.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

"Wake up, my child." A familiar voice sounded from the door along with quiet knocking. "Come down downstairs when you are ready." The sound of footsteps faded down the hall…

Frisk sat in bed and rubbed her eyes. She felt very groggy and was tired since Alphys had started the project of giving Chara a body. But for now, the spirit was still inside her. She woke up as well.

"Frisk, sis, don't wassa get up...five minutes...ugh…" Chara muttered unintelligibly as Frisk slithered out of bed. She struggled into a small purple dress and put a buttercup in her hair. She finally trudged out the door and down the stairs, until she realized something. It was...completely dark. Usually her mother or Papyrus would be making breakfast at the moment. Her sleepy brain struggled to think of a reason why this was happening. "Huh…?"

Chara seemed confused as well, but then chuckled. "Hey, Frisky. Isn't it your birth-"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRISK!" The lights flashed on, and Papyrus and Undyne charged at her out of nowhere. Fortunately, they were rather gentle with their embrace, so it was like being hit with a tractor, and not by an entire farm.

"Easy, children!" Toriel scolded, though she looked rather amused. She was holding a small gift, in which she placed in the corner of the living room with an array of other gifts.

Alphys nervously beamed behind Asgore, both giving her a smile and and wishing her a happy birthday. Sans was on the couch, apparently asleep. Papyrus marched over to him, annoyed.

"SANS!" he yelled. "WHY ARE YOU NAPPING DURING AN IMPORTANT CELEBRATION?! APOLOGISE TO FRISK AT ONCE!"

"Merry Christmas, kiddo." Sans muttered sleepily.

Even Chara laughed. Frisk, however, fell onto the floor, laughing hysterically. At this, Sans woke up (almost) completely and grinned at her. "Looks like I tickled your funny bone, huh?"

Papyrus let out a large groan, and his reaction sent everyone hysterical- from Asgore's loud bellows to Alphys's quiet giggling.

"Fuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu~!" Undyne laughed. "I can't wait until you open the presents! You will like mine THE BEST!"

"SORRY, UNDYNE!" Papyrus 'nyeh-heh-heh'd happily. "MY PRESENT WILL DELIGHT FRISK THE HUMAN THE MOST!"

"On your mark, get set…" Sans fell asleep. Frisk giggled.

"Sans will be Sans," Chara noted.

Opening the presents was a blast. The three friends, along with her mother and father, watched her as she opened them. Alphys, however, had to go to the bathroom. No one really paid attention.

Frisk opened Undyne's present first, who had given her a large spear with fancy swirly designs on it. Chara squealed as Frisk gave a forced smile. "Thanks, Undyne. It's…" she remembered her dying before her, the determination in her eyes fading. "...h-horrifying…"

Sans was awake. He stood next to her, leaning toward her a bit. "...wanna open my present?" he asked, but Papyrus spoke over him.

"MINE NEXT! NYEH-HEH-HEH!"

The wrapping was fancy and decorated with silver and gold paper. The present, however, turned out to be a large bone with a huge sparkly red bow on it.

"Thanks!" her mouth was twitching in amusement. "It's humorous!"

Sans doubled over, laughing hysterically. "Oh god, kid…" he chuckled.

"SANS! YOU HAVE INFECTED THE HUMAN WITH YOUR AWFUL PUNS!"

Her mom's present was wrapped with purple paper. Frisk opened it to find an array of different books. One was a cookbook with recipes for pies. Another was a Science and a math textbook. Lastly, a book of flower puns, at which Sans stared at enviously. Frisk turned around, a smile on her face. "Thanks momma!" She hugged Toriel, was was very pleased.

"You're welcome, child…" She noticed the flower in her hair. "What's this?" She smiled at it and tucked it further into her daughter's hair. "Oh my." She pulled back to stare at Frisk. "I can't believe how much you've grown. She smiled fondly. "I remember when you fell down into the underground, four years ago…"

"Four years ago?" Sans was still lying on the floor, face down.

"Yes, Sans. Four years ago," she smiled. "Time does really does fly by, huh."

"Time flies when you're having fun." Sans sighed.

Frisk frowned. "Not really." she said. "The froggits taught me differently. Time's fun when you're having flies!"

Toriel, Sans and Frisk laughed uncontrollably.

The next present was Sans's, which was not even wrapped. She opened the plain box to find a blue sweater, not unlike the one Sans wore. Without hesitation she pulled it on, turned around, and imitated his smile.

The group laughed as Sans chuckled slightly. "You tryin' to be like me?

Frisk winked at him. "You sweater believe it."

The room echoed with Papyrus's screams.

The family settled down in the kitchen to cook after they finished with the presents. Toriel made her famous Butterscotch Cinnamon pie, while Sans went through all of the puns in the book. Along with the pie, Muffet had dropped off some delicious pastries from her bakery. Papyrus and Undyne offered to help Toriel cook, but the goat mom insisted (rather franticly) that she would be fine.

"So flower you doing, Sans?" Frisk asked, a huge smile on her face.

"Not good...the world is full of terrible people…" he closed his eyes in mock sadness. "They're all clover the place. It's driven' me daisy."

Papyrus screeched and ran out of the room, Undyne following him.

They both laughed and went back to the puns. Sans was absolutely in love with the plant pun book, so that he didn't notice her staring out the window…

She was so lucky. She was so lucky to be adopted into such a wonderful family. Their gifts, like the gardening book from Asgore and the Kissie Mew Mew collection from Alphys did not have to be given. And yet they were. And that is why she loved them.

"Hey, Frisk. You deserve it." Chara reminded her. "You've been through a lot."

"So have you," Frisk countered.

There was silence for a long time. The girl wondered if she had made the late princess upset. She sighed to herself and turned to Sans. "When I leaf you alone," she told him, as he looked up. "Iris-k making you feel unwanted." She got up, headed to the counter, and took a couple of hotdogs. San's grin covered his whole face as she put one on her head. "Thistle will cheer you up." The skeleton lept up to place more on her, when Toriel shook her head at them. She marched up to them, wearing a grumpy face.

"You need to save your appetite fir dinner." Toriel burst out with laughter. Sans followed suit.

But Frisk did not. The uneasiness that she had not felt for so long prickled at the nape of her neck. She could feel Chara gasp inside of her. "Look out the window."

Frisk obeyed to see a little yellow flower, with a forlorn expression, petals drooping. Once it had seen her looking, however, he gave her a false smile, and batted his eyelashes mockingly. Frisk stopped abruptly before running out the door, much to Toriel and Sans' confusion.

"Kid?"

"My child?"

Chara was excited. "He's here. Asriel's here!" she panted. She shifted impatiently as Frisk rushed out into the flower filled backyard. It front of her was Flowey, giving her a bored expression.

The ghostly child was going berserk. "Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel. Asriel."

Flowey glared up at her. "I'm so bored." he spat. "I'm so bored! I'M SO BORED!" He gnashed his teeth together. "WHEN?!" he shot up into her face with his vines. "When are you going to reset?! C'mon Chara!"

Frisk found her voice, and she croaked, "I'm not Chara."

Flowey swallowed, but then scoffed to hide his discomfort. "I know that. Just the slip of my tongue."

"Asriel I-"

"Shut up, Chara!" he gasped and shook his head. Damn. Again.

"I'm not Chara." Frisk muttered, an edge to her voice.

"Well I'm not Asriel!" Flowey screeched, losing the little patience that he had. His vines reached for her and dragged her to the ground. She screamed. "You know what this means?" the flower leered at her, and Frisk trembled violently. "You know what it means for you not being Chara?" His smile grew larger, his eyes like a void.

"It means that I don't have to care when I kill you," Flowey gagged her with a sharp vine. The thorns bit into her soft lips. A sharp vine was poised in front of her throat. Her voice came out in panicked gasps.

"Flowey-! Please-!" her cries went unheard as the vines strangled her.

"Oh, and by the way," Flowey's voice was full of laughter. "Happy 14th birthday, Frisk."

"FRISK, YOU IDIOT! GET UP! SCREAM! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" her friend's cry rang out loudly in her ears, but she still did nothing.

"How many times do I have to tell you that it's ."

Frisk's whole vision was only of the giggling, maniac flower. Tears of fear burned her eyes. Chara screeched at her to do something. Just before he could stab her, however, there was a flash of blue light, and Flowey yelped. A bone pierced his vines and he retreated into the dirt.

Chara let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god."

"Heya, Frisk. Flower you doin'?" Sans stood over her, eyes devoid of light. Frisk shivered slightly and stumbled to her feet. "T-thanks."

"My child!" There were footsteps and the girl was enveloped in her mother's arms. "What a miserable NASTY creature, tourturating such a innocent, sweet youth, oh…"

"I'm fine, mom." Frisk gave a small smile. "It was just… that flower…" Toriel's eyes darkened.

"We have to do something about that little pest," the goat mom muttered to herself. "I cannot let Frisk wander around with him on the loose."

"Hey, Tori." Sans put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I promised you I would protect her, didn't I? I rescued them just now, didn't I?" he grinned, and Frisk knew that there was a pun coming on. "Aren't you rootin for me?"

Toriel worried face turned into one of laughter. Frisk herself doubled onto the floor. Sans looked proud.

"That was awful!" Frisk laughed. "Maybe that was why Flowey was so quick as to growing away~"

Chara sat within Frisk's mind, eyes glowing red.

" **L."**

Alphys was still missing. No one really noticed until her girlfriend, Undyne, made note of this. After looking through the house with no sign of the scientist, everyone started to worry. Sans and Frisk exchanged glances. Was it possible that Flowey had to do with Alphys's disappearance? What if he had harmed her? Frisk's heart tightened. What could have happened?

"When did you see her last?" Chara prompted. "I remember her before you were opening the presents..."

Undyne was checking inside the trash cans. "HERE, GIRLFRIEND! HERE, GIRLFRIEND, GIRLFRIEND, GIRLFRIEND!" She whistled.

"Glad to know how highly she thinks of her," Chara giggled.

Frisk's phone buzzed, and pulled it out to find that she had two new messages from Alphys. She quickly clicked her texting app.

 _Alphys: Go into the basement. I'm ready to help Chara_

 _Alphys: Don't tell anyone I'm here_

The girl froze in shock. Now? On her birthday? Still, she sighed and responded to the scientist. Chara couldn't help quivering with anticipation.

 _Frisk: Alright. I'm coming._

 _Alphys: great see u_

Chara sighed happily but then noticed her friend's discomfort. The child internally patted Frisk on the back comfortingly. "You ready for this?"

"Yeah," Frisk slipped her phone into her pocket and headed down the hall. She started down the dust- ridden stairs.

*Knowing that Chara will once again have a body of her own...

*It fills you with...

*DETERMINATION


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Alphys was waiting for her. A large machine stood boldly behind her, making her seem smaller that she actually was. It was made of two glass cylinders, connected by one large beam. In the right cylinder was Chara's body, while the left was empty.

The scientist was sweating profusely. "S-so...a-are y-you ready…?"

Frisk smiled calmly and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Alphys. Everything will be fine." Though she said this, her soul was trembling. "I-I'm really surprised that you finished so quickly though."

"I've checked and double checked and triple checked the numbers…" Alphys muttered and scrambled to her papers. There were markings of things that Frisk and Chara could not understand. "Basically we are splitting your Determination equally, taking a half and putting it into Chara." Beads of her sweat got on the notes. "E-everything seems fine, s-so I don't know why…"

"It'll be fine. Don't undermine yourself."

Alphys smiled awkwardly. "Eh...thanks Frisk." She cleared her throat. "Just to warn you, though...both of you might have flashbacks from each other's pasts. It may also hurt...like, hurt really bad, but it won't kill you…" she paused uncertainly, but continued on as she saw Frisk's determined face. " L-Let's get started. Head over here…" she lead Frisk to the left cylinder, which opened automatically. Frisk stepped inside and it closed.

The scientist walked behind the machine to program it, and it whirred to life. Frisk's breathing became shallow as pressure began to build in her chest. She glanced over next to her at Chara's dead body.

 _She looks like me…_

"I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, Frisk." Chara said breathlessly. "You good?"

Frisk whimpered and curled into a ball. Her head started to hurt as her soul was forced out of her chest… It was being cut, it was so agonizingly slow, and she muffled her screams in her sleeve.

"FRISK…!" Chara screeched. "Keep yourself together…!"

Tears dribbled down the girl's face as she passed out.

"HELP!"

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

"..."

"...Is...anyone…?"

It was dark and cold. A small girl, perhaps the age of eight, huddled in a dark, damp room. Tears streamed down her face. A man opened the door leading to her room with a loud thud and marched inside. She wiped her tears immediately as he came into her view.

" **Hello,"** Her smile was too wide for her face. " **Come to bother me again, I presume?"**

The man grinned in a dark, creepy manner. The girl's smile faltered slightly.

"I do not enjoy cleaning up your mistakes, Kerensa." his voice was barely a whisper, though she easily held onto every word. Today, one of our allies came to visit. Remember those men?"

The girl recalled the dirty scumbags that had waddled into the camp and taken most of the food. The leader had tattoos all over his scarred, sun tanned arms. All of them smelled as if they were dragged through a landfill, and they obviously had not changed in weeks, perhaps months.

She laughed. " **Such disgusting creatures. However could I have forgotten?"**

The man slapped her, and she fell to the floor. "You speak so mature for your age, you know that?" he grabbed her neck and pulled her to him. "You think you're so old, don't you, Kerensa?"

Her short brown hair covered her face, and her laugh sent chills down his spine as it echoed throughout the dark stony walls. " **Don't call me that, freak."**

"I guess that means yes." He shoved her roughly to the ground. She struggled to get back up, but he was much stronger.

It's not like it had never happened before. In this world...it wasn't much of a big deal…

" **STOP TOUCHING ME."**

" **STOP-"**

In this world...it wasn't much of a big deal…

" **SOMEBODY HELP ME! GET AWAY FROM ME!"**

But it was enough to twist anyone's mind and drive them to insanity.

" **U."**

When it was dark, she would hear screams, men racing up and down the hall…

She wasn't they only child in the building. There was a twelve year old boy named Ryan, a boy her age named Sean, a six year old girl named Lily, and twins named Timmy and Jeffery, who were fourteen. If they were lucky, the guards would get so drunk that they would forget to lock their doors. Of course, there were consequences...nobody liked it when they were drunk, especially the two girls. But once the coast was clear, they would run into one room together and huddle together. However, this did not happen much, probably only a handful of times a year. When it finally happened, they could be desperate for kindness and attention.

In the eight years the girl had lived there five children had disappeared. Rumor has it that they were experimented on. From they way the guards were talking, none of the trials were successful. Something about… "Gaster". The children didn't know what who or what "Gaster" was, but it was taking their lives away.

The last night she saw the others, they were in Ryan's room. Jeffery had been taken away, so it seemed. If only they had any tears to shed…

The children themselves had grown cold and angry. But it was reassuring that not all humans were rapist and murderers.

That didn't stop Chara from hating them.

They were picked off one by one. All of them died. Only Chara had survived, and only then did she escape, only willing for death.

"Frisk."

"Frisk, wake up."

Her whole body was sore, and she couldn't move. She could, however, hear the scientist's nervous mumbling from beside her. A cool, wet cloth was pressed against her scalding forehead.

"Oh no...We're going to be in so much trouble…" Alphys mumbled frantically.

"Don't worry about it." Frisk heard Chara's voice speaking to the scientist. "We'll just blame ourselves. We'll say we dragged you into it."

"Toriel would still hate me."

"Then I'll remind her that Frisk even persuaded her to let her go out of the Ruins when she was little."

Frisk's head burned as she struggled to think properly. _I can hear Chara...does that mean the plan worked…?_

She felt a hand on her shoulder. It wasn't scaly or dry like Alphys's hand but softer...and so much like hers…

 _Chara…?_

"What, do you have a hand fetish?" Frisk was shocked that she could still read her thoughts. "We share halves of the same soul. We can still communicate telepathically."

 _I thought you wanted some privacy._

"I guess, but I wanted to move around myself and talk by myself more."

 _Hm…_

"You should try to wake up now, partner. Your phone is being blown up by texts. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to persuade that this is not Alphys's doing."

 _How are we going to do this?_

"Do what?"

 _Introduce you to everyone._

Chara was silent for awhile. Then, "Just wake up. We'll figure that out when you do that."

Frisk felt like she was lifting seventy pounds, but she was only lifting her droopy eyelids. She looked up to see a living, breathing Chara.

 _Tired._

"I know, Frisk."

 _Sleep._

Chara smiled sadly. Sometimes Frisk reminded her of Asriel. "No Frisk, not now…" Then, out loud, she turned to Alphys, who was scanning her notes again. "She's awake."

"Oh!" She sprang forward. "Frisk, I'm sorry! Are you okay? How do you feel?"

She slowly opened her mouth to speak. "Sleepy...head hurts...and body is sore…" she licked her cracked lips. "Water…"

"She has a fever…" Alphys felt her head. "For sure."

"We have to work out an excuse," Chara said hurriedly. "Alright, fine. Frisk, you can go to sleep, we'll take care of this.

Frisk didn't complain one bit. Her eyes snapped shut immediately. Chara turned to Alphys. "Now what?"

"M-me?" she swallowed. "Uh…" There was a pregnant pause. She rubbed her hands nervously. "Shouldn't we just tell the truth?"

"Too late for that."

'I-it's not good to lie…" Alphys mumbled, referencing her past situation with Undyne, which Frisk had helped her out with...

"We'll tell the truth eventually. But we need to find the right way to introduce me. I'm afraid… Sans in particular will take this all the wrong way, I'm sure."

Alphys nodded. "B-but your parents…"

"I'll see them soon, I'm sure. Now, here's what we do. You tell everyone that you were outside because you saw Flowey. Then everyone will look for Frisk. I'll stage a little accident for her. I'll make it look like she fell somewhere and into water, explaining why she has a fever." She noted Alphys's skeptical stare. "What?"

"What will you do afterwards?"

Well, I'll watch and make sure nothing hurts Frisk as we're waiting for everyone to find her, and once they're gone I'll stay in the basement until Frisky and I figure out how to...you know…"

Alphys nodded. "O-okay."

"I'll head first." She hoisted Frisk onto her back and started up the stairs. She opened the door carefully. She peeked out, and after seeing that the coast was clear, walked down the hall. She heard noises from upstairs, however. She would have to be quick.

She shuffled through the family room and out the sliding glass door into the yard. She passed the separate building where Alphys and Undyne lived. Chara still considered the couple to be living in the same house as all the others, for they shared the same yard and both houses were inside the same fence.

Putting all irrelevant thoughts aside, she started for a wall that led into a forest- like area. It wasn't very high, perhaps about six feet tall. She easily placed Frisk on top of it, climbed over and dragged her down. She then walked down a deer -worn trail into the woods.

She was sure that there was a creek somewhere, and the area was full of mountains. So that there were these things here, she was certain. Where they were, she would have to find out for herself. Frisk seldom walked in the woods alone, (excluding the time four years ago when she climbed Mt. Ebott), and only came here with Undyne for training. Evidence of such training were littered among the trees. Spears impaled the ground and trees. One would think that it had rained spears. Chara gave a chuckle at that thought.

The girl was so distracted that she did not notice the sudden drop in front of her. She plummeted down several feet into a muddy creek.

"What the hell…" she spat out water and made sure Frisk hadn't breathed in any of it. The water was only three feet deep, but it was very cold. Shivering, she pulled both herself and her friend out, swearing underneath her breath.

"Well, looks like my job here is done," she muttered sarcastically. She was still wearing her green sweater and brown leggings. Chara was very fond of the outfit and hoped that the mud would not stain it permanently.

"Heya."

…

She turned around to see a certain skeleton, his rage apparent in the absence of light of his sockets…

"Knocking out their friend and dragging them into a ditch? That's not how to greet a new pal." He chuckled in an agitated manner. Then, his voice dropped lower, his right eye pulsing blue…

" **YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD, KIDDO."**


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

…

…

 _Well._

He looked pissed.

Chara giggled nervously as she tried to think of a way out of this situation. Knowing that he wouldn't hurt Frisk, she wrapped herself close to her body . Sans's eye flared. Bones shot through the air, all expertly aimed at Chara. She dodged, though one stuck her and her HoPe was draining away quick. She scrambled to the ground, blood starting to drip out of her mouth. Her eyes gleamed red. Sans watched in contempt as she struggled to get up.

Chara L1 2/20 HP

 _No…_

"G-get away…" she gagged on her own blood. Without any LV, she would never survive a fight against him. They both knew it. Sans lazily walked over to her, a single bone in his hand. She was finished, for sure. She felt fear engulf her, and her mind raced. She glanced desperately at Frisk, who was still unconscious.

She called for help.

…

BUT NOBODY CAME.

"How does it feel to be the victim, Chara?" Sans mused. "Feels pretty bad the other way around, huh?"

"You've got it all wrong…" she laughed away the pain, and tried to think straight. If she died, would she ever be able to reset?

 _Probably not._

Her soul levitated from her chest, and the skeleton gasped. The left side of Chara's soul was colorless and pale. But the other side was a rich scarlet of DETERMINATION. He shook, a terrible thought entering his mind. He turned to Frisk to check up on her.

Frisk L1 0.1/20 HP

His attacks on Chara harmed Frisk as well. Chara let herself sigh in relief as she realized that she would be, for the most part, safe. Her relief, however, morphed into fear as she was surrounded by his blue magic.

" **? ?"**

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing," Chara scowled. Sans's smile grew noticeably forced.

" **You know what I'm talking about."** God, he wanted to kill her. If Chara hadn't had a part of his angel's soul, he would have slammed her into the trees and watch her slowly bled out onto the forest floor…

That sounded nice…

"You've got to hear me out." Chara held her arms out, sparing him. "Let's have a nice chat, you and me both, seeing that you can't hurt me." She always enjoyed mocking him.

The glow in his eyes dimmed, but he still glared at her suspiciously. "You want to talk?"

She smirked. Never before had he listened to her. Now, with Frisk in danger...he had...

"Fine then. Talk." Sans closed his left eye lazily, his right pinprick still watching her intently.

"Aww...You don't even want your princess?" Chara crooned. She pulled Frisk upright, clicking her tongue. "Some friend you are."

"Tsk. You're the one to talk." Sans chuckled darkly. "You're the one who killed everyone."

" True," Chara noted. "But it wasn't entirely my fault. Throughout the genocide run, I could control Frisk… to an extent. Only until I had gained enough LV I could of had full control of her body, but we reset before we could achieve that point. I suppose I'm in no position to tell you this, for I don't know much about this myself. Not to mention that you won't believe me...but…"

"...I didn't kill anyone."

Sans laughed hysterically. "You little freak. Fuck no i won't believe you." Did she think that he was an idiot? Chara had controlled Frisk and forced her to do the genocide run AND IT WAS ALL HER FAULT ALL HER FAULT! He got to his knees and he couldn't stop laughing. She was just SO stupid and he was so pathetic. She was sick and it was all so sick...just a sick little game that would continue repeating, never sparing his pain or HoPe...

His laughter woke Frisk, and she recognized it to be not one of happiness, but of hurt. The reasons why Chara and Sans laughed were not different at all. They both… tried to laugh their pain away.

"Sans…" the skeleton's eyes widened as Frisk shifted in Chara's grasp. "She's telling the truth…" she rasped quietly. It hurt to talk, and Chara hushed her.

...

Sans was at a loss for what to do. It just did not make any sense. Chara had a part of Frisk's soul, and was telling the truth that she hadn't killed anyone. However, Frisk hadn't killed anyone either, and she had told him that Chara was telling the truth. But...if they weren't the ones who did it, then who…

…

…

Oh. OH.

…

Was it...HIM?

His thoughts were interrupted as a loud yell erupted throughout the woods. Undyne's muscular form crashed through the trees. Her lips drew into a vicious sneer as she charged toward Chara, a blue spear in her hand. The girl fled, dropping Frisk and trying to make her way past Sans. Not surprisingly, she was surrounded by his blue magic and lifted into the air.

"MEET YOUR DOOM, PUNK!" Undyne bellowed as she poisoned her weapon to strike. Chara shouted and tried to escape, but to no avail. It was hopeless; she was about to be impaled by her heroine and Sans was too preoccupied to give a shit. "It looks like this is the end, Frisk," she thought.

Before Frisk could do anything, the fish warrior and the skeleton were surrounded by bullets. Sans teleported away, dropping Chara, and taking Frisk with him. Undyne swore as about six of them hit her at once. Flowey emerged from the earth between the two females. He glanced at Chara. "Oh, Chara~! Long time no see..."

Frisk was in so much pain. It wasn't helping that Chara's frantic thoughts were causing

her own head to spin. But then she was enveloped with warmth. She looked up, her eyes foggy with tears of pain. Sans was carrying her. He had teleported into the yard.

"I'm taking you to Doctor Alphys," he muttered gruffly. He, for sure, was not in a very good mood. It would probably be best if she stayed quiet. Her head felt like it was splitting anyways. But...but she had to tell him...

"You don't have to be kind to me, you know." she whispered quietly. "It's okay if you hate me…"

"Naw, kid." he sighed. "You're pissing me off, with all of this that's going on, but I could never hate you." He teleported into the living room of their house, right in front of Alphys. "Hey Alph. The kid is sick."

Alphys flinched and sweat began pouring down her forehead. "Uhhhh...h-hi S-Sans…" she looked like she wanted to disappear. She fiddled with her claws madly and looked towards the sliding glass door. "N-nice day today, isn't it?" Outside, grey clouds rumbled. Twittering birds stopped singing as they sadly retreated into their nests. Alphys glanced around, as if looking for an escape.

"Looks like you're not telling me something, Alph." Sans mused. "Mind if ya spill the beans?"

Alphys shot a frantic look at Frisk, but she had dozed off again. A wave of anxiety flooded through the scientist. Sans's smile was the same, but held a different meaning when his eye sockets were dark as night.

"TELL ME THE TRUTH, ALPHYS." His voice was quiet and calm but pounded through her eardrums. Out of fear she made up her mind to comply.

"I-I might have h-helped Frisk's f-friend come b-back from the dead," she stuttered nervously. Sans looked unimpressed.

"But you don't even know who Chara is! Yes, I know her name," he noted Alphys's shocked expression. "Come on Alphys. Frisk couldn't have saved the entire underground...or even get past the ruins by herself. Someone had helped her."

"Chara," Alphys muttered. "But I don't see how this could be a bad thing."

Well, of course. Alphys didn't remember the genocide run. He groaned inwardly."Froggit about it…" he sighed lazily. "But there's still this one thing that I need to know…Something you've known for a long time but never had told me..."

Alphys went completely rigid, caught off guard by his sudden, unrelated question…

"How come you never told me where Gaster is?"

Chara wouldn't leave Flowey. Even if he was only a hollow creature with only memories of her beloved brother, she wouldn't abandon him. Not him, and not ever again. "I see that you actually fight now," Chara muttered. "But I still won't leave."

"NNGHH!" Undyne raised her hands, and spears erupted from the ground. Flowey ducked under the ground and reappeared behind Chara, who had jumped away from harm.

"...we can be together again…" Flowey whispered. Arrows came at them from all sides. Chara ran about, dodging the weapons flawlessly. She kept it for up for about ten minutes, until she started to feel exhausted. Flowey let his "friendliness pellets" loose, intending to hurt Undyne. "You stupid fish," Flowey sneered.

"Flowey, wait," Chara called. He turned and smirked at her. Vines erupted from the ground and wrapped around Undyne. She growled and pulled away from them in almost half the time, but it occupied her, taking her attention away from the spinning bullets centimeters from her head…

"Asriel!" Cahra grabbed at his stem, panting heavily. "She's...she's not the enemy. She just thought that I had hurt Frisk…"

Flowey grinned. "Well, didn't you?"

"There are other ways to beat someone, Asriel."

His eye started to twitch and he started to breathe heavily. "You keep doing that Chara, and we'll die again."

Guilt rose in Chara's chest, and she laughed it off. "Look how we've changed, Azzie~" Undyne, free from her bonds, stepped forward, her eyes burning with malice.

"I would gladly die for you." Flowey flashed a wicked smile. "You're the only one who understands me. You're the only one who matters to me." Chara's heart was about to melt until-

"You're the only one who's fun to play with anymore…"

"Alright you fucking dandelion." Undyne roughly yanked Chara by the neck, who let out choking sounds and clawed at Undyne's arm. "Enough with your bullshit."

"Put her down you fucking whale!" Flowey screeched. "She's mine!"

"Oh, I'll put the bitch down alright." A spear appeared in her hand, and Flowey bristled, friendliness pellets appearing around him.

Suddenly, the area around them burst into flames. Flowey recognized the fire at once and disappeared into the earth. Undyne looked shocked as she looked up to see Toriel, her eyes aflame.

"LET GO OF MY CHILD," she roared.

Amazed and shocked, she opened her hand and the girl fell, coughing erratically. Though the fire disappeared, he fish warrior backed away when Tori ran up to them. Slowly, carefully, she tilted Chara's head up to peer closely into her face.

Brown eyes, light brown hair, green sweater, rosy cheeks...she looked just like how she last saw her...

The former queen started to shake. "C-chara, my daughter…" She embraced her suddenly, and Chara's eyes went wide. When was the last time her mother held her like this?

"Mom...I'm…" her voice broke, and sobs tore her throat. Toriel picked her up, and she buried herself into her mother's fur. "I missed you so much…"

…

…

A knife slicing through her mother's body. Chara's screams went unheard as the monster crumbled to the floor and turned to dust.

But it was so simple.

Left arrow key, enter, enter, enter. Click click click...And then he won.

…

What a fun game.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Alphys stood before Sans in a cold sweat. How could he have known?

"Gaster's my father, Alphys. And according to the notes you leave all over the house, he has escaped the void somehow."

The scientist rubbed her back nervously. "Uhhh...well, I-I don't know for sure...that's why I haven't told you yet…"

Sans rolled his pinpricks. "Heh. Okay, whatever. Just help the kid already, would ya? We'll talk about this later."

…

…

" _Wake up, Frisk."_

…

" _It's me, Chara."_

…

Frisk groggily opened her heavy eyelids. Chara's face was peering down at her. "Finally, you're awake. Everyone was freaking out about you."

Her head lolled restlessly on her pillow and muttered the first thing that came onto her mind.

"Saans..ss?"

"Talking with Alphys," Chara said quietly. "Too busy watching you to eavesdrop on them now."

Frisk reached for Chara's hand and she smiled. How sweet. "Plan...failed," Frisk stared up at her apologetically.

"It's fine, Frisk." Chara shrugged. "It's not the first time my plans have failed." An image of Flowey flashed in her mind. She shuddered and pulled away.

"Chara...did you see Flowey earlier?" Because of their empathy link, it was probably impossible to keep things away from Frisk. Chara sighed.

"Yes, we were fighting Undyne together." Chara dipped her head sadly. "Jeez...the way he acts...it really gets to me. He's almost the opposite of how he was when he was Asriel. He used to be so sweet, so innocent, so pure and now…"

He wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone. He wouldn't even care…

In the genocide run, Chara remembered herself feeling so angry. Angry at herself for not fighting against whatever or whoever was corrupting her, angry at Asriel for making everything end up like this, angry at Frisk for being SO PATHETIC SO WEAK and furious at Sans. She remembered towering over Flowey as he shook, overwhelmed with fear. "You're not Asriel," she had proclaimed. "You're just a empty shell of what died long ago!"

"All of that's not your fault. You didn't do anything," Frisk whispered.

"No...," Chara muttered. "I know that isn't me now, but…" she sighed and layed her head on the side of the bed. "I'm too confused to think about this right now…"

"Do you love Asriel?"

Chara looked up in surprise. "Y-yes...he is...he was my best friend."

"Do you love Flowey?"

Chara went quiet for a while, thinking. "I wouldn't want him to get hurt...I care about him...But, you know…" Chara looked at Frisk with sad, brown eyes. "I really miss him. I really, really miss him. He's the first to ever show kindness to me, and I just…" she shuddered angrily, her eyes blazing red for a split second. " **Look what I've done."** Frisk stared at her levelly, not flinching one bit.

"You can't hide anything from me," Frisk muttered darkly.

Chara froze.

"I know how you felt when you saw Asriel, both times we fought him. Everytime he returned to his small, green-sweatered self, you would…"

"Shut up, Frisk."

"You would start…"

"FRISK."

"...telling me how adorable he was and showed me a memory…"

"FRISK, EVIL OR NOT I WILL HIT YOU."

She laughed, and Chara's face was bright red. "When you were younger, you wanted to marry him."

"That was a long time ago," Chara fumed.

"Yeah, well, based on the way you think, you still feel the same way…"

Chara tried to brush it off by rolling her eyes, but her rosy cheeks had transformed into a tomato red blush. "Whatever."

Frisk smiled, then frowned and rubbed at her head. She closed her eyes sleepily. "You love Asriel," she mumbled. Chara flushed.

"Oh, yeah?" Chara snarled. "Well, you like Sans!"

One second she was quietly laying in bed, and in the other she jumped into the air in shock. "NO! NO I DON'T!"

Chara let out a bark of laughter. "Oh wow, Frisk. You're not lying. Not at all!" her voice was thick with sarcasm. After a moment's silence she whispered, "I'm gonna tell him."

Frisk shook her head. "Nooooo...Chara, don't do it! I have so much to live for!"

She snorted. "Alright, Frisk. Alright."

Frisk had fully recovered within a week, much to everyone's relief. Toriel was relieved, scared that she would lose a child in exchange of another. In fact, she spent much time fussing over her children. Undyne and Chara made up very quickly, and soon became friends. She joined Papyrus and Undyne's cooking lesson every week.

But still...something was wrong with Chara. It wasn't unusual that she had nightmares, as Frisk and Sans had them too...but Chara would wake up in a fit, screaming and crying.

"Asriel! Don't leave me!" Chara kicked at Frisk, who was trying desperately to wake her up. She kicked at Frisk's stomach and she fell backward, gulping for air. She struggled to her feet as Chara shot up in bed. She looked at a groanong Frisk, who was clutching her stomach. Chara burst into laughter, tears streaming down her cheeks.

After a few moments, she muttered through her giggles, "I'm sorry, Frisk."

"How come you laugh whenever you're upset?"

Chara shrugged. "Sans does the same thing." She wiped her tears away. "Frisk, I've been thinking…" She got down from her bed, and Frisk followed. She went to her closet and pulled out a spade and pot.

"Oh."

"I want As- Flowey here with us."

"Oh. Well, tomorrow-"

"NO," Chara hissed. She blinked and shook her head. "No," She said more gently. "I-I can't stand this anymore. Perhaps Alphys could help him…"

"Wait," Frisk stepped back. "We go now?"

"Yeah."

Frisk looked at Chara's clock. "But...it's one in the morning."

"Yeah."

"Can...Can you see how that could be a problem?"

"Yeah...But if we sneak out, we can keep him secret. Everyone here's got an awful opinion of him."

Frisk nodded. "...okay…"

Chara smiled. "You're a lot like Asriel," she muttered. She leaned forward and brushed the hair from Frisk's forehead. Then without another word, Chara turned, jumped onto her desk, and opened her window. Cool air billowed through. She threw on a jacket. Frisk went to her room to get hers.

Two ropes were attached to the base of the window. Chara leaned under the desk to pull the rest of...a makeshift ladder!

The girls climbed down the ladder and into Asgore's garden. They scampered through the buttercups and toward the broken barrier.

Finally, rest. Sleep without nightmares.

This is what Sans thought.

He was standing in the judgement hall with Frisk. It was a beautiful day outside. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming, and on days like this, kids like Frisk...should not be burning in hell; she had spared everyone and had made so many friends.

She looked onder for some reason. Now she was exactly his height. She wore a blue dress, which was strange because she never wore dresses in the underground…

"Hey Sans…" The way she moved toward him made his soul flicker. His body moved my its own, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Heya, Precious," he muttered, knocking his forehead to hers. She hummed happily and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm so glad that freak allowed us a Pacifist run."

"Gareth perhaps feels bad for us…" Frisk snuck her hands under Sans's jacket. "...perhaps wanted to give us a happy ending." Frisk then winced and put her hand to her forehead.

"Frisk," Sans held her face in his skeletal hands. "You okay?"

She sighed. "Chara. Ever since the complete genocide run, she's been acting...really scary. Killing Flowey had really…"

The genocide run.

Oh, he remembered.

Sans remembered.

He remembered falling over, blood dripping down his front. He had smiled weakly, crawling pathetically away…

"Sans?"

His last words on his tongue, "Welp, I'm off to Grillby's…"

"Sans!"

"Papyrus...do you want anything?"

"SANS!"

He blinked, and Frisk was shaking him. "Please, snap out of it!"

Tears dribbled down his face, and his eyes flashed blue. In one second, Frisk was slammed against the wall with his magic. Bones tore ate her small, weak body.

"S...Sans…?"

He snapped out of his trance, and he stared at Frisk, shaking his head. "NononononoNO!" He teleported to her quivering form, tears flooding out of his eye sockets. "Baby…" blood leaked from the bones in her chest. "Baby, I-I'm s-so sorry…!"

Her health drained before she could respond. Sans could see the outline of Chara by Frisk.

" ' E."

Sans jerked awake, sweat dripping down the side of his skull. Hands trembling, he scrambled out of his mess of bed sheets. He looked at his clock; it read 1:27 AM in red glowing numbers in the darkness of the room.

He needed to see Frisk. Usually after nightmares he would go into Papyrus's room, but…

He had many questions about the dream he had. Was it a warning from the future? If so then… his dream/future self had mentioned that … someone had let them do a pacifist run...and there had been a complete genocide run beforehand…?

Why was he so intimate with Frisk in the dream…? If he wasn't so terrified, he would have blushed. He teleported in front of Frisk's room, anxiety crawling through his bones. He rapped on the door.

But nobody came.

Well, of course. She was obviously asleep. It was better if he left her alone. He passed Chara's room and glanced inside; the door was wide open.

…

The window was wide open as well. Sans peered closer. A ladder hung from the windowsill to the garden below.

…

He opened Frisk's room and crept up to the bed. It was empty.

…

Frisk and Chara were gone.


End file.
